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Priorities & Accomplishments

When I took office in January 2013, I set to work on the basics: closing the largest budget deficit in the city’s history; paving neglected streets; instituting better City Council oversight. My administration came in and, in partnership with my colleagues on Council, fixed what needed to be fixed. Now, a stronger, well-managed city can strive to do more for its citizens.

In the second half of my term, I’m focusing on the “human equation”: the children who should be able to walk safely to a park, even if they live in East Portland; the man who should be able to find a job, even if he’s returning to society from prison; the CEO whose company should be rewarded for operating with Portland values.

Decades ago, Portland became an exception in the urban equation, demonstrating that cities could be livable; that urbanism didn’t have to succumb to suburbia. I argue that, likewise, Portland can become an exception in the human equation, using our community’s relentless creativity to tackle contemporary issues. MORE

City leaders’ job is to make our shared goals real. As a city, we have lots of plans; we need to make them more real for more Portlanders. My priorities focus on doing just that.

For more on what I've done for this city and what I plan to do, flip though this document: Priorities & Accomplishments, 2014-15. This document gives insight into what my administration has done, and what we plan to do. An online dashboard, at www.portlandoregon.gov/dashboard, will allow citizens to track our progress to see how we’re doing along the way. These tools are an effort to provide accountability.

Mayor Hales has prioritized complete neighborhoods: finding a new source of transportation revenue to build sidewalks and repair city streets; refocusing Portland Development Commission dollars on underserved neighborhoods; and launching bold initiatives to end homelessness.

Mayor Hales is working to defy the conventional wisdom that says the dream of advancement, the American Dream, is becoming a fantasy. He has supported internships for youths, assistance for people returning to society from prison, incentives for B Corps — companies operating by Portland values.

Mayor Hales is working to defy the conventional wisdom that says the dream of advancement, the American Dream, is becoming a fantasy. He has supported internships for youths, assistance for people returning to society from prison, and welcoming the sharing economy into Portland.

Mayor Hales’ policies are driven by a goal to make everything we love about Portland accessible to all Portlanders, and that means citizens being safe in all areas of the city, as well as feeling safe through public trust in first responders.

Mayor Hales’ policies are driven by a goal to make everything we love about Portland accessible to all Portlanders, and that means citizens being safe in all areas of the city, as well as feeling safe through community connections and public trust in first responders.

Mayor Hales took office with the promise of “back to basics” government that repaired the fundamentals. He has continually sought to make city operations efficient and effective; the goal of every public meeting and draft plan is actual change, actual improvement.

In his second year as mayor, Charlie Hales has worked to fulfill his “back to basics” promise — taking care of basic infrastructure and achieving financial stability — while also refocusing the Police Bureau on community policing and ensuring opportunity for all Portlanders. Here's an overview of Mayor Hales’ progress, by the numbers.